Thursday, February 20, 2025

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2025

Good morning! On this day in 1865, General William T. Sherman’s troops left Columbia, South Carolina, and began their march toward North Carolina. “Bummers”—Union troops who would desert their posts to go on unsanctioned foraging missions—had already devastated the road to the Tar Heel State despite efforts made by Union commanders to mitigate the destruction.

NBA legend Michael Jordan made news in North Carolina this week. Check out Business to find out why.

Did you get snow yesterday? Hit reply and let us know how much.

We’re sponsored today by the nonprofit World Concern, offering an opportunity to help children in need in Somalia.

Winter Weather Creates Commuter Chaos

Wednesday’s winter wonderland created a fun snow day for school kids but a traffic nightmare for commuters.

Multiple crashes caused interstate backups Wednesday afternoon, with one near Oxford shutting down I-85 North for hours. Further south, two I-85 crashes less than 10 miles apart created delays near the Durham County line.

An overturned tractor-trailer was expected to block all southbound lanes on I-95 in Johnston County for several hours, according to DriveNC.gov.

The storm also impacted air travel. By 6:30 p.m., 255 flights had been canceled at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and 78 had been canceled at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, according to FlightAware.

Many areas also experienced power outages as the storm moved through. Check Duke Energy’s outage map for real-time status reports and repair estimates.

Federal Cuts Eliminate NC Education Programs

The impacts of federal education budget cuts are surfacing across North Carolina.

A grant supporting East Carolina University’s edPIRATE program, which assists students with obtaining a Master of Arts in Teaching, has been terminated.

Winston-Salem TEACH, a teacher training and placement collaboration between Winston-Salem State University, Salem College, Wake Forest University, and Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, lost a $4.7 million grant due to the cuts. The program relied on the grant for 80% of its operations.

NC State announced a hiring freeze last week due to “uncertain impacts” of the budget cuts.

Most cuts target the Institute of Education Sciences, which focuses on research and school improvements, but the U.S. Department of Education announced another $600 million in cuts Monday to what it referred to as “divisive” teacher training grants.

Group Says Grant Discriminates Against Whites

A group called WNC Citizens for Equality filed a complaint with the U.S. Treasury Department’s civil rights division on Jan. 22 contending that the Asheville-Buncombe Rebuilding Together Grant Fund discriminates against white business owners.

Managed by a community financial development nonprofit called Mountain BizWorks, the fund offers up to $25,000 in grants to small businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene.

WNC Citizens for Equality alleges that preference is given to non-white entrepreneurs because the fund is backed by $2.4 million in federal money that directs Mountain BizWorks to favor small businesses headed by women or racial and ethnic minorities.

Buncombe County commissioners reviewed the complaint but have no plans to alter the program’s special preferences for non-white applicants. The City of Asheville and Mountain BizWorks have not received formal notice of the complaint, which you can read here.

Do you have any friends or family who would like to receive Flyover North Carolina? Feel free to refer us to them!

Flying together with our sponsor

Somalia is facing a devastating combination of natural disasters, global conflicts, widespread poverty, and disease outbreaks. East Africa has just endured its worst drought in 40 years, leaving tens of millions without access to clean water, wiping out millions of livestock, and destroying crops. With domestic food production crippled, Somalia has relied heavily on imports—90% of its wheat coming from Russia and Ukraine—until those shipments stopped.

Now, two in five children in Somalia suffer from acute malnutrition, and cholera is spreading in some regions. The food crisis, compounded by global humanitarian aid being redirected to Europe and the Middle East, has created a perfect storm, leading to a sharp rise in child malnutrition.

Be Doers

We’re asking the Flyover Community to join us in partnering with World Concern to help get emergency nutrition packs (a peanut paste fortified with nutrients), water, and hygiene products to those with the most need.

➤ Statewide: North Carolina House Republicans filed the NC Farmland and Military Protection Act this week to ban foreign enemies from buying farmland and property surrounding military installations. (More)

➤ Western NC: North Carolina commerce officials are seeking feedback on how the state should spend a $1.43 billion federal grant on Hurricane Helene recovery efforts after releasing a draft plan outlining how the state proposes to spend the funds. (See Details)

➤ Rockingham County: State Senate leader Phil Berger confirmed he will seek reelection to his chamber seat in 2026 just days after his home county sheriff announced he will also run for the seat. (More)

➤ Charlotte: First responders rescued a parachutist hanging 100 feet in the air from a tangled parachute against the Mint Museum Tower Monday. After he was rescued, police arrested the man for trespassing. (See Photos)

➤ Sliding Rock in Pisgah National Forest will be able to reopen Memorial Day weekend thanks to minimal damage from Hurricane Helene. (More)

➤ Greensboro: Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a Greensboro native who was appointed during President Trump’s first term, announced Tuesday he would step down so a new postmaster general could be hired to carry on the work he started. (More)

➤ Swansboro High School announced its opposition to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s proposed conference realignment, citing concerns over safety, loss of instructional time, financial strain, and community impact. (More)

➤ UNC men’s basketball beat NC State 97-73 in the Dean Dome Wednesday night. The Tar Heels move to 9-6 in the ACC, while the Wolfpack drop to 3-12. (More)

➤ Mark Williams has returned to the Charlotte Hornets after reports of the team not contacting him since the NBA rescinded the Hornets’ trade of Williams to the Los Angeles Lakers. (More)

➤ UNC-Greensboro baseball upset No. 13 Wake Forest Tuesday night with a 4-0 victory. Wake Forest went into the game with a 4-0 record after scoring double-digit runs in each of their last four games. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ Experience relief from foot pain with the TheraFoot Pro EMS Foot Massager. This innovative device uses Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) technology to enhance blood circulation, alleviate discomfort, and rejuvenate tired muscles. Enjoy customizable massage modes and intensities for a personalized relaxation experience.

➤ NBA legend Michael Jordan opened a second Novant Health in Wilmington on Wednesday, just 5 miles from where he attended high school. The clinic supports patients whether they are insured or uninsured. (More)

➤ Duke Health and WakeMed are teaming up with Tennessee-based Lifepoint Health to open a 52-bed hospital in Apex that will encompass therapy gyms, gardens, walking paths, and pickleball courts. (More)

➤ Legislators aim to reclaim $500 million the state gave NCInnovation—a nonprofit founded to help commercialize public university research—citing the need to redirect the funds to disaster relief in western North Carolina. (More)

Flying together with our sponsor

➤ 11 Things Smart Americans Are Wasting Money On. You’re smart about saving money, like shopping clearance racks, limiting eating out, and choosing affordable streaming services. However, there are still some cost-cutting tips you might not know yet. Once you discover these, you could quickly find extra cash in your pocket. (Click to Read More)

Flying together with our sponsor

Somalia faces a crisis from natural disasters, conflict, poverty, and disease. The worst drought in 40 years devastated crops and livestock, while food imports from Russia and Ukraine halted. Two in five Somali children now suffer from acute malnutrition. Join us in partnering with World Concern to get emergency nutrition packs & clean water to children. $12 feeds a child for a month.

➤ Triangle families took in 100 rescue dogs from Saving Grace, a Wake Forest rescue, to give the canines a warm place to stay during Wednesday’s winter storm. (Watch Report)

➤ The 1984 yellow Jeep J-10 Honcho pickup truck from the 1996 movie Twister will be on display at the Camping World AutoFair at Charlotte Motor Speedway April 3-5. Replicas of other famous cars will also be on display. (See Photos)

➤ The top 30 places to raise a family in North Carolina are led by Wake County (No. 1), Mecklenburg County (No. 2), and Cabarrus County (No. 3), according to a new analysis. (See List)

Flying together with our sponsor

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